Rantings and Ravings

I am in love with technology. Even though studies have shown that women my age tend to be leery of it, I love it. I had an MP3 player before they were cool. I got my husband a GPS system when they were pretty new on the consumer market. I bought a watch that is a GPS and pedometer in one. We even had XP on our computer before you could find software that would work on it.

So, it stands to reason that I use my computer a lot for work and pleasure. I use technology for art projects and to design remodeling ideas for my house. I use it to work from home for the newspaper. I also use it to keep in touch with family and friends through e-mail.

It bothers me that we use e-mail to send people things we wouldn't hand them face to face. I am not talking about the gazillion spam pornography e-mails I get each week. I am not talking about the random spam offer I get promoting MBA degrees in just one week either.

What I am talking about are the unsolicited e-mails from family, friends and acquaintances that push the line about political and religious issues. I realize that each of us has strong values that we hope the rest of us agree on. I have some very strong convictions about politics and religion as well. However, I have come to terms with the fact that my views are not and will not be shared by every one else in the world.

I have also come to the conclusion that while I do think my beliefs are moral and righteous, other views also have validity and are worth considering.

The internet seems to allow us the courage to express views that are more opinionated than we normally say in face to face conversations.

It may be human nature to be able to laugh at things that put down views and people who are different than us, but it is not a very good way to sway others to your point of view.

Thank goodness that technology also provided us with the delete button. I use it to get rid of those things I feel cross my line of fairness. I am just as offended by jokes that put down the radical right as the radical left. I have been known to repeat a joke that puts down a specific group of people, but in the end I am always left with a bad taste in the back of my throat about it.

I have probably left some people who e-mail me wondering if I am talking about them. E-mail me and ask. I may be kinda busy though, I have been nominated to receive six different doctorate degrees in the next two weeks.